Drier



. I 1,696,172 C. F. MORRISON Dec 18, 1928.

DRI EH Filed Nov. 2, 1927 s shuts-snout 1 gwumtoz, C/aarlea I'MofibonQDec. 1a. 1928.

- 1.69am ,C. F. MORRISON v DRIER Filed Nov. 2, 192.7

Deg 18, 1928.

I 1,698,172 c. F. MORRISON 4 mum:

'Pnd new. 2. 1927 S-Shbots-Shoet 3 1 11 rrrzlsam Maw M M turns of theinvention to prov dea rotary driver so constructed as to permit of theseg-. regation of one class of grade or texture of;

a drier of the rotary type especially'advanr amed Dec; is, 1923. i

UNITEDLSTATES' .PXATENTFOF 1595,1725 y nos;

mus riuncxs nomsoiw, or om'rr'a'noooa, rmmnssnn, aasreuoa T010331; 1 v 1son-mums, me; a coaroiwrron or TENNESSEE.

7 Damn" f 'lhis invention has for an objectto provide tageous for theuse in dryingand deodorizing of fabrics orgarments cleaned by thesocalled methods of dry cleaning, permittpig of the drying of fabricsor'garments of materiall less period of time as well as allowing teintroduction of. drying'air currents of selectively proportionedintensities to be directed onto and through the differentclassifications of matter .within the 'de-"* vice, that an efiicientdrying and deodo'rizin of the same will result. 0 I, it is also amongstthe principal desldera matter from another or others within the same,hence, ensuring efiicient treatment of each classification accordingjto.its particular or peculiar properties or, requirements and likewise,the separation of matter-of different colors after.

| Other objects oflthe invention be in part obvious and in part pointedout herein- In order "that the invention and its mode of operation maybe readil understood by those skilled in the art to w ich it appertains,I

1 have in the accom anying illustrative drawings and in the etailedfollowing description based thereupon, set out one possible embodimentofthe invention.

In these drawings: t Figure 1 is a fragmentary gitudinal section throughthe drier,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section therethrough.

Having more particular reference to the dra ings, in connection withwhich like char acters of reference will designate corresponding partsthroughout, the improved drier may be stated to comprise a supportingframe generally indicated by the numeral 1 includwhereby topreventdiscolohorizontal loning sectional circular opposite sideportions 2 over which a sheet metalor other suitable formof covering 3having a hinged door 4:

provided therein, is arranged, thus consti tuting a hollow cylindricalhousing or casing for the .drier proper; coaxiall disposed ferenttexture in a single operation and in a bearings 5. being arranged upon'tecircular s1des2 andequipped with packing ringsb,

the purpose of which will be subsequently described.

A shelf like shoulder 7 is provided u on" one portion of-the supportingframe .1 and received thereupon the casing 8 ofthe air heating means ofthe improved drierythe upper portion of the inner side wall of saidcasing being substantially .arcuate tofcoln formto the curvature of theeripheral poropen asis indicatedby the numeral 9 to pro .vide an airinletway whereas an air discharge conduit 10 communicates with" and is-ar- 1 ed above the upper side of said casing 8. otatably, supportedwithin the hollow" ran cylindrical casing orhousing of the device is adrier 'drumor tumbler indicated in its entiret by the numeral 11, saidtumbler bevingof ollow cylindrical formation and having circular metalend walls 12 eachof which "are provided with coaxiall disposed hollow ed'in and extending bearings13an'd'14 receiv through the bearings 5provided therefor in yond its res ective bearing 5 and having a pulleywhe 15 fixedly mountedthereupon the opposite sides 2 of the devicehousing; the 7 bearing 13 being extended for a .distance be whereas thebearing i extends substantially flush with the pee ng 6 of itsrespective bearing 5 and is referably closed by removable plug or calike device 16. A sheet metal or other suitab e form of coveringdesignated by the numeral 17- is provided for the tumbler 11, being enaged over and suitably connected to the perip eral portions of thecircular end walls 12, which, as will benoted upon reference. totheFigures' 1 and 2, are ri idly interconnected throu h the medium 0cross sectionally flattens connectinglor trussing bars 18 the oppositeends of whic extend throu h openings in adjacent'portions of said wa lsand have locking nuts or other suitable sewith. Ports of substantiallyrectangular' formacuring means turned into engagement there- 11 withmeans which will tion are formed in the (peripheral 'portion of thetumbler constitute by the covering 17, said ports extendinglongitudinally throughout a proximately the entire length of the tumb erand bein covered by a screen or other reticulated evice 19 whereby topermit of the discharge or outlet of air from the tumbler, at times.Ways of access are also formed in equ'i-distant portions of theperipheral part of the tumbler 11 and these we s are adapted to benormally closed by individual eoncavo-convex. doors or closures 20which, as will be noted upon reference to the Figure 3, have convexportions thereof radially and inwardly disposed within said tumblerwhereby to afford the same with. a fabric or arment engaging andmeans,hereinaftermorefullydescribe That the various doors or closures 20may be moved to opened or closedmpositions, portions of each thereof arepivo or hinged to portions of the eripheral coverin 17, while to allowsuch 0 osures to be lock in their respective closed positions, pairs ofrelatively opposed slidable bolts 22 are mounted upon the free portionsof each of said doors longitudinally thereof, as is shown in the Figure1 and the adjacent or inner ends of these bolts are interconnected bymeans of a toggle connection for each thereof, designated by the numeral23; a handle 24 extending from the various toggle connections 23 so thatwith rocking of the same in one direction, the bolts 22 connectedthereto will be drawn to their retracted or unlocked ositions, whereaswith movement of the ban 1e 24 in an opposite direction, said boltsconnected to the same will be moved to their distended or lockedpositions at which time the outer or free ends of the bolts will en agein keepers or opening provided therefor in adjacent portions of thecircular end walls 12. Also, it will be noted that the handles 24 are ofa size such as will lend wei ht thereto so that with rotation of thetumb er 11, the centrifugal force thereof will tend to outwardly stressthe weighted handle and in so doing, will insure the retention of thevarious pairs of slidable bolts 22 connected thereto in their lockedpositions, hence, avoiding the accidental opening of the closures 20during operation of the drier.

With a view toward providing the tumbler rmit of the classification orsegregation of abrics or garments to be dried therein, said tumber isdivided into a plurality of segmental compartments, each of whichcommunicates with one of the ways of access normally closed by the doorsor closures 20, these segmental compartments being effected by thelongitudinal arrangement of shelf-like sheet metal bodies 25 with in thetumbler 11, said bodies havin their respective inner ends abutting theadjacent sides of the different pressing bars 18, as is shown in theFigure 3, whereas the opposite ends of the same find support uponinwardly disposed supporting ribs or ledges generally designated yformed integral with the inner sides of the circular end walls 12 ofsaid tumbler 11, as is also shown in the Figure 3. By reason of thejuxtapositioning of the shelf like bodies 25 within the tumbler 11, itwill be noted, .especially upon reference to the Figure 3, that aplurality of radially dispose air ways designated by the numeral 27 areprovided between the different segmental compartments and that the innerextremities of the airways 27 communicate with a central or main airwayextended longitudinally throughout the central portion of the tumbleraitating\11. Ways are formed in the outer extremitiesof the shelf-likebodies 25 of the different segmental compartments, and these ways arereferably covered by a wire mesh or reticuated material 28 and 29, thusallowing of communication as between the different compartments.

To regulate or control passage of air currents through the compartmentsof the tumbler 11, plate valves generally indicated by the numeral 30are pivoted within portions of each of the airways 27 and are disposedlongitudinally throughout the same, crank arms 31 being fixedlyconnected to the res ective pivotal moifhtings of said plate va ves 30,which, in turn, are ivotally connected with the adjacent ends 0connecting bars 32. Other plate valves designated, generally, by thenumeral 33 and substantially of concave-convex formation are pivotallmounted upon portions of the periphera .portion 17 o the tumbler 11adjacent the various screens 19 engaging over the peri heral portsthereof and the respective pivota mountings of the plate valves 33 eachhaving crank arms 34 fixedly mounted thereupon and pivotally connectedadjacent their free ends to the remaining ends of the adjacentconnecting bars 32 in the fashion as is shown in the Figure 3. Thus, itwill be understood that the plate valves 30 and 33 will beinterconnected in curved relation so that concurrent movement of thedifferent pairs will be caused with actuation of their respectiveconnecting bars 32. Furthermore, it is of interest to note at this pointthat the connection of the various connecting bars 32 to the platevalves 30 and 33 is such that when the valves 30 are in their respectiveclosed positions, their particularly paired valves 33 will be arrangedin osition over the air discharge ports covered y the screens 19 whereaswith arrangement of the plate valves 30 in their open positions.

the particularly paired valves 33 thereof will be swun" away from thescreens 19 of the air discharge ways to positions over the screens 29,thus closing these particular ports.

That heated air may be su plied the main or central airway identified bythe numeral the numeral 26 and preferably 35, and distributed into thebranch ways 27,

' I a steam circulating and heating coil 36 is supported in the casing 8and is adapted to have fresh air delivered into engagement with the sameby way of an inlet opening in the lower end of said casing, whereas theheated air discharge pipe 10 communicating with the upper portlon ofsaid casing'8 is extended and provided with an elbow por- 10 tion 37having an axiall adjustable frusto conical valve 38 en a e or arrangedin a suitable seat provitfed therefor in its free end, said free end ofthe elbow being arran ed adjacent the open and extende end of thebearing 13 so that with passage of air from the'pipe elbow 37, the samewill be dischar ed y way of the bearing 13 into the centra or mainairway 'of the tumbler 11 for distribution to the different segmental gcompartments thereof by way of theairways 27. To permit the admixture offresh or cold air with the heated air discharge from the extension ofthe ipe 11 irito the bearing 13, the frusto-conica valve 38 is providedwith as a rod 39 extendin through a suitable guide sleeve 40 provider?in an adjacent portion of said elbow 37 to a oint exteriorly of theelbow whereat the ro is equipped with a knob or handle portion 41. Byoutwardly ulling 3 the knob 41, it will be seen, upon re erence to theFigure 1, that the frus'to' conical valve 38 will be drawn into theelbow'37' and in so doing, that it will form an annular fresh or coldair intake way thereabout, hence per- 3'5 mitting a roperly regulated orproportioned amount 0 cold or fresh air to be drawn from the atmosphereinto and admixed with the heated air being discharged into the bearin 0totary blowers arranged in casings 42 and 43 are provided, the casing 42being arranged in the hot air conducting pipelO whereas the casing 43 isarranged in the air discharge 7 pipe or conduit 44 provided the drierh6us- 45 mg and communicating with the under, side of the same as isshown in the Figures 2 and 3; the blowers within said casings hav ingtheir respective shafts 44 and 45 extended for distances beyondsaidcasings and w e uipped with pulley wheels 46 and 4 7 about w ichsuitable belt gearin 48 is engaged;

other belt gearing 49 exten ing into engage ment with a portion of thepulley 46 from a suitable source of power, not shown herein, for obviouspurposes, I

It will be also noted that belt or other suitable form of gearinvindicated by the numeral 50 is extended about or en aged with the pulleywheel 15 of the tumb er 11' so that w the latter may be caused to rotateat the during a drying operationdesired velocity of the invention,

In operation of my improved drier, under certain conditions, as forexample, the dryus ing of fabrics or garmentsof substantially platevalve 30 of one of the airways; 27 is moved to an open or ipartiallyopen position, as indicated in the Figure 3; With t e opening of theparticular plate valve 30, itewill be understood th at concurrentpivotal adj ustment or movement of its particularl paired plate valve 33will be efiected, there y movscreen 29 of one of the ports of saidairway whereby to close the same, but to allow the .ing the latter.valve into a position over the screen 28 of the opposite port to remainun-- 1 covered and open. -With an arrangementof the valves 30 and 33 inthis particular manner,it will be seen. that the heated airdischargedinto the main or central airway 35 of "the tumbler 7 will pass throughthe aforesaid' airway 27 and will discharge through the screen coveredport 28 whereupon it will circulate through the adjacent segmentalcompartrnent and will continue on through the now opened screened ports28 and 29 of, the

remaining air ways 27 thus circulating through each of the succeedingsegmental compartments until it reaches the last compartment whereuponthe air ,will discharge through the opened screened port 19 adjacent thelate valve 33 now en aging over its particu arr screened port 29, t eair so discharged passing into the hollow cylindrical housingofthe drierwhereuponit will travel under ur e'of the rotary blower in the casing 43into J an through the discharge pipe 44 from whence it will be deliveredinto the atmoesph'ere at a suitable point,

Should it be required or desired to circu late individual dryingairFcurrents through the various segmenta compartments withinthe'tumbler 11, as for exam le when fabrics or garments of difierent casses, grades or, textures are arranged in such compartments,

each ofthe plate valves '30 is moved toits re-;

spective open-position within the airway 27] adjacent which the same ismounted wherei upon the particularly, aired plate valves 33 will .besimultaneously swung for .pivoted the various, paired valves 30 and 33is effected,

heated air will be delivered from the main or' central airway 35throughthe ways 27 from to positions engaging over the adjacent 1screened ports 29. 'When this adjustment of whence individual drying aircurrents will be discharged through each of the various j p0rts'28 andsaid currents willbe caused to circulate through the adjacent seg- 1mental compartments andultimately to be discharged of the openedscreenedperipheral ports 19 rom said compartments-by way 4 e' t a I1,696,112

. into the hollow cylindrical housing of the through the compartments ofthe tumbler 11 in either of the matters heretofore described, it will beunderstood'that said tumbler will be rotated by reason of the engagementof the gearin 50 with the pulley wheel 15 of the same; ewise, that acontinuous passage or discharge of heated air into the central or mainairway will be effected from the hot air supply pipe 10-, communicatingwith the air heatmg means comprising the casing 8 and the steam heatedpipes 36 supported within the same. During rotation of the tumbler 11,the fabrics or garments received or arranged within the segmentalcompartments will be agitated, that is, continuously shifted todifferent positions and this agitation will be facilitated by reason ofthe in.-

wardly disposedor convex portions of the various closures 20, which, aswill be readily understood, will, with rotation of the tumbler, act asagitating arms, engaging and moving the fabrics or the garments todifferent positions. I

The arrangement of the segmental compartments and various closures 20with their convex portions also advantageousl serve to control and limitthe fall of the as rics or garments during rotation of the tumbler.

In conventional driers now in use, the garments treated are subjected toa relatively great fall by reason of the construction of the tumbler,causing premature tear and'wear of the fabrics or garments, especiallythose of a lighter texture, such as silks, rayons, etc. With in improvedtumbler on the contrary the fabrics'are controlled and limited in theirfall due to the cooperating walls of the various compartments and theirconvexly arranged closures defining, as clearly shown in the drawings,an angular space within the compartments. Moreover, it will beunderstood that the cooperating walls of the compartments and convexportion of the closure serve as a duct for directly forcing air throughthe fabrics or garments, rather than around or about the same, as isgenerally the case in known driers. By providing these small angularshaped compartments a greater efiiciency is obtained from machines ofthis character, as practically none 'of the air introduced into thecompartment is lost,but comes in direct contact with the fabrics orgarments treated. a

The improved drying machine may be as egually advantageouslyused in thedrying 0 garments in fabrics of the so-called wet v cleaning processesas well as those cleaned by the so termed dry cleaning recesses, thusrendering the device useful in aundries as well as cleaning plants.Furthermore, the 7 drier, if desired, may be successfully used in millsfor the drying of pulp, fibre and similar compositions worked therein.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerablemodification and such n modification as is within the spirit of myclaims, I consider within the scope of my invention. I claim: 7

1. A drier comprising a housing having as air inlet and outlet means, arotar tumbler mounted therein having a plurality of indivdualcompartments arranged within the sameand equi-spaced with respect toeach other, the arrangement of said compartments in. within said tumblerconstituting a central and branch air conducting ways therebetween, saidbranch conducting means communicating with the compartments andadjustable valve means cooperable with said on. conducting means andcompartments for selectively establishing a circular: coursing ofairthrough the compartments individually or in series.

2. A drier comprising a housing having air inlet and outlet means, atumbler mounted therein having a plurality of individual compartmentswithin the same and arranged in equi-spaced relation, closures for eachof said compartments each of said closures having agitator means adaptedto be extended within their re ctive compartments, the arrangement o thecompartments within said tumblers being such as to provide within thetumbler main and branch air wayspsaid ,up

branch air ways communicatin with the compartments, and a. plurality opaired inter-connected and ad'ustable valves cooperatively associatedwith said branch ways and compartments fo selectively establishing a 1circuitous coursing of air through the compartments, individually or inseries.

3. A drier comprising a housing having vair inlet and outlet means, arotary tumbler mounted therein having a plurality of in- 1 dividualcompartments within the same arranged in equi-spaced relation, closuresfor each of said compartments consisting of con cavo-convex bodies,portions of which extend into their respective compartments whereby toprovide agitator means, the arrangement of said compartments within thetumbler being such as to provide said tumbler with intercommunicatingmain and branch airways and interconnected valve means cooperatively 13othrough t in series.

means associated with said branchways and said compartments forselectively establishing a circuitous coursing of air through thecompartments, individually or in series.

4. A drier comprising a housing having air.

inlet and outlet means, a rotary tumbler mounted in the housing having aplurality of spaced compartments within the same, air ducts between saidspaced compartments, and means cooperatively associated with said airducts and compartments for circulating air I through the latter,individually or in series.

5. A drier comprising a housing havin r air inlet and outlet means, arotary tum ler mounted therein having a plurality of spaced compartmentswithin the same, air ducts bea tween said spaced compartments, andadjustpartments, and adjustable valve means co-- operatively associatedwith said air ducts and com artments for circulating air l fecompartments, individually or 7. A drier comprising a housing havin airinlet and outlet 'means, a rotary tum ler mounted therein, a pluralityof radially disposed and spaced compartments longitudinally extendingthroughout the tumbler, movable closures for the outer portions of eachof said compartments, each of said closures carrying agitator meanswithin their.

respective compartments, and means for circulating air through thecompartments, individually or collectively.

8. A drier comprising a housing having air inlet and outlet means, arotary tumbler mounted therein having a plurality of radis ally disposedand equally spaced compart ments within the same, closures for thecompartments, each of said closures being formed with agitator portionsextending throughout the length of their respective compartments, andvalve means for effecting a circuitous coursing of air through thecompartments, individually or in series.

9. A drier comprising a housing having air inlet and an outlet means, arotary tumbler mounted therein having a plurality of equi-spacedcompartments within the same, air ducts between the spaced compartments,air heating means connected to the housing inlet means, and other meanscooperatively associated with said air ducts and compartments forcirculating air through the compartments, individually or in series.

A drier comprising a housing having air 1nlet and outlet means, a rotarytumbler mounted therein having a plurality .of radii ally disposed andequi-spaced compartments arranged within the same, .air ducts betweensaid compartments, air heating means com- ,municating with the air inletmeans of the housing, closures for each of the compart- -ments, eachclosure carrying'agitator means extending throughout the length of theirrespective compartments, and adjustable valve means cooperativelyassociated with the compartments and airducts therebetween forcirculating air through the compartments individually or in series. I

11. A drier comprising a housing having air inlet and outlet means, arotary tumbler mounted therein having a plurality of equi-- spacedcompartments within the same, air conducting means within the tumbler,branch air-ways communicating with said air c0n-' ducting means andextending between the spaced compartments, and valve means cooperablewith said branch air-ways and compartmentsfor establishing a coursing ofair through said compartments individually or in series. s

. 12. A drier comprising a housing having air inlet and outlet means, arotary tumbler mounted therein having a; lurality of equispacedcompartments within the same, 010- sures for each of said compartmentshaving agitator means extending inwardly into their respectivecompartments, air conducting means within the tumbler, branch airwayscommunicating with said air conducting ce 'luo means and extendingbetween the spa- ,compartments,each of said compartments having outletports discharging into said housing, and valve means cooperable withsaid branch airways and compartments for establishing a coursing of airthrough the compartments, individually or in series.

air inlet and outlet means, a tumbler mounte 13. A drier comprising ahousing havin a formed-within said tumbler and having communication witheach other and with the air conducting means in the tumbler, each ofsaid compartments being provided with air outlet ports, and means forcontrolling the communication between the air conducting means of thetumbler, said compartments and outlet ports whereby the air may beconducted to and from the compartments individually or in series. a a.

14. A drier comprising a tumbler, means for conducting air within saidtumbler, a plurality of compartments formed within said tumbler,passageways arranged between each compartment establishing a means ofcommunication between said compartments and said air conducting means ofthe tumbler and valves for controlling said means of communicationbetween the "air conducting means and compartments whereby the a.cylindrical casing, vinga plurality radially disposed compartments,agitating means projecting within each compartment and defining anangular space therein of substantially the same width throughout, andmeans for directin a flow of air through said angular space 0 eachcompartment whereby the flow of air will be caused to pass directlythrough all of the articles to be dried placed within any one or all ofsaid compartments.

h Ini witness whereof I have hereunto set my CHARLES FRANCIS MORRISON.

